Tea exports rise 7% in April-January in FY18

India’s tea exports grew by nearly 7 per cent to 200.67 million kg during April-January period of 2017-18 (FY18) as compared to 188.10 million kg exported in the corresponding period of last fiscal.

While exports to Russia, Ukraine, Kazakhstan and Germany fell, those for Pakistan, China, Iran and Egypt showed improvement.

According to provisional data of the Tea Board India, exports, in value terms, stood at Rs 3,970.37 crore in the 10 months of the current fiscal, up by about 2.5 per cent from Rs 3,874.82 crore in the year-ago period.

However, in January alone, export was down marginally by 2.28 per cent to 20.55 million kg as against 21.03 million kg exported in the year-ago month. In value terms, exports during the month also fell to Rs 408.74 crore, from Rs 412.35 crore in January 2017.

In volume, exports to CIS countries, including Russia, Ukraine and Kazakhstan, were at 46.92 million kg in the April-January 2017-18, down from 49.63 million kg in the same period of 2016-17.

Exports to the UK also fell to 13.66 million kg in the 10-month period of FY18 as against 13.96 million kg in the year-ago period while exports at 7.98 million kg to Germany during the period were also down from 8.76 million kg exported in corresponding months of 2016-17.

Exports to Iran went up to 24.62 million kg, from 21.06 million kg.

As much as 8.87 million kg of tea was shipped out to Egypt during the 10-month period of 2017-18, up from 2.98 million kg in the year-ago period.

Tea exports to Pakistan stood at 12.73 million kg in the period under review, as against 9.65 million kg exported in the corresponding period of 2016-17. India’s tea exports to China during the period were at 6.66 million kg, up from 5.14 million kg.

India achieved the highest tea exports during 2017 (January-December) after 36 years, pegged at 240.68 million kg.